San Rafael Police Officer Rescues 1 Year Old Infant

San Rafael, CA – November21, 2013. On November 14, 2013, around 8:16 PM, San Rafael Police Dispatch received a frantic 9-1-1 call from a mother stating that her 1 year old child was not breathing in the area of the 3500 block of Kerner Boulevard. SRPD Dispatch immediately transferred the 9-1-1 call to the fire department.

Before the call could be dispatched, Officer Mark Wilkinson happened to be on police patrol in the area of Kerner Boulevard and Novato Street when he saw a man quickly exit an SUV and approach him. The man told Officer Wilkinson that he was the uncle of a 1 year old boy that was not breathing and that he needed help. Officer Wilkinson and the uncle ran to the mother who was holding the child. Officer Wilkinson brought the child to the rear cargo area of the parent’s SUV so that he could lay him flat and check the child’s vital signs.

Officer Wilkinson noticed that the child was not breathing and had become pale and blue in the face. Officer Wilkinson had located a faint pulse on the child. Officer Wilkinson quickly requested the fire department respond to his location.

Since the child was not breathing but had a faint pulse, Officer Wilkinson began giving rescue breaths to the child. Additional SRPD officers arrived on scene and after a minute Officer Wilkinson noticed that the child began to slowly breathe on his own. Officer Wilkinson stayed with the child until he began to cry.

San Rafael Fire Department and Paramedic personnel arrived on scene and continued to provide medical aid. The child was taken to Marin General Hospital where he made a full recovery. It was believed that the child had suffered from a high fever as a result of being ill.

Officer Mark Wilkinson is a new police officer with the department and has been on the force for close to a year. Officer Wilkinson is certified in CPR and was commended for his quick action and calm demeanor that resulted in the child’s recovery.

Since police officers are usually mobile and patrolling throughout the city, they are routinely trained and certified in providing CPR and first aid should it be needed at a moments notice. SRPD police cars are also equipped with AEDs (automatic external defibrillators) to further assist in life saving measures.

The San Rafael Police Department encourages members of the community to learn CPR. The life you save with CPR is mostly likely to be someone you love! If you would like to get more information about the benefits of being trained and certified in CPR please go to: